Heat-engine



P. OKEY.

HEAT ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 191B. 1 ,343 ,577. Patented June 15, 1920.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

. Application filed March 28,1918. Serial No; 225,317.

7 To all whom it may concern Be it known thatI, PERRY OK-EY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin an State of Ohio,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heat-Engines, of which ollowing is a specification.

Tnis invention relates to a heat engme which produces mechanical work by utllizing the heat contained in the atmosphere as a primary .source of energy. My inventlon employs a working fluid which 1s made to vary in density or pressure'by a temperathe ture difference created and maintained by theinherent heat of the atmosphere and by the capacity of the atmosphere for absorbingwater vapor. The working fluid may be one of the so called true gases or the vapor of a liquid and the working cycle may be that of a true gas or a va or cycle in which the substance 1s alternate y vaporized and condensed to its liquid. 1n elther case the working fluid merely acts as the agent which absorbs heat from the atmosphere, converts a part of such heat 1nto mechanical work and rejects the remainder of the heat back into the atmosphere through the medium of water vapor.

An embodiment of my invention when using a liquified gas as the working medlum is shown in the accompanying sheet of drawings in-which similar characters of reference designate corresponding. parts, and in which,

Figure ig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fi 1. V

l n these drawings, the boiler is represented by the reference numeral 1 and this boiler is provided with a plurality of fins or ribs 2 or some similar structure whereby heat may be readily absorbed from the atmosphere. The condenser i represented by the reference numeral 3 an is provided on its exterior surface with a covering of fibrous material such as wicking 4 which latter 1s 1n. 7

communication with a supply of water 5 confined withinthe cup shown at 6. The

boiler 1 is-in communication with a power element or prime mover through the medium of the connection of conduit 7 ,which latter is provided with a .valve 8. The pr me mover itself has been illustrated as a turbinewheel 9 mounted upon a shaft 10 which -projects outthrough the hermetically sealed 1 represents aheat engine embodyin all the elements of my lnvention, and, p

'which the fluid is introduced.

housing 11 which is mounted upon the open Patented June 15 1920.

top of the condenser 3.120 be in communicatom of this condenser and the bottom of a b01181 are also in communication with each other by means of the conduit shownat 14 which latter is provided with a covering of insulating material 15 to prevent the radiation'of'heat as much as is possible.

The methodand manner ofoperation is as follows: A suitable working fluid such as l1qu1d sulfur dioxid, anhydrous ammonia,

or any liquid'whichis convertible into a gas or vapor at ordmary tem eratures is utilized. The air is exhausted f i'om the entire system through: the valve shown at 16 and the working fluid is then introduced into the boiler by means of this same valve. A suflicient quantity of this fluid is'intro} duced so that a portion of the system such as the boiler 1 will contain the fluid in liquid form while its vapor fills the remaining space, the fluid itself forming a pressure in the system for preventing all of the liquid from bemg converted into a vapor at the particular temperature of the at osphere at 7 he cup 6 is filled with water which spreads over the surface of the condenser because of a fibrous covering by capillarity. Under normal conditions, such as when the atmosphere is above 32 degrees F. and when the relative humidity is less than this .water will evaporatefrom thesurface of the condenser and, inasmuch as heat is required to effect suchfevaporation; it follows that a portion of such heat is abstracted from the condenser which reduces its temperature and the temperature of its contents and therefore causes a condensation of a part of the 'vapor there-- v in and a reduction of the vapor pressure necessarily follows. A difference now-exists.

between the vapor pressure in the condenser which is lower in temperature than the atmosphere and the vapor pressure in the boiler which has a temperature equal to that of the atmosphere, it being understood that I the orifice in the nozzle 13 is comparatively small. The condensed vapor leaving the condenser and entering the boiler as a liquid having a temperature lower than that ofthe atmosphere absorbs heat from the atmosphere through the boiler walls and is raised in temperature until it approaches or equals that of the atmosphere. The pressure of the vapor above the liquid in the boiler corresponds of course to the temperature of the liquid and is necessarily higher than that in the condenser and this higher pressure causes a flow of vapor through the turbine to the condenser, mechanical work being developed by the turbine during such transfer. The difference of vapor pressure also causes a diflference of levels of the liquid in the boiler .and that in the conduit 14 leading from the condenser to the boiler and. this difierence acts in lieu of a pump for feeding the boiler, but this arrangement is not absolutely essential and in fact, couldnot be used if the condenser were placed below the level 'ofa boiler, in which case a pump will be. required forthe purpose. It will be noted, therefore, that the processes are continuous, heat being rejected from the condenser to the atmosphere through the medium of the evaporation'of water causing a continuous condensation of vapor in the condenser, and a continuous absorption of heat from the atmosphere by the boiler, equal in value to that rejected by the condenser, less, however, the amount which is transformed into by the turbine. v a

Stated in another way, a difference in temperature is -maintained between the intake and exhaust sides of a prime mover which causes the working vapor to be continuously condensed to its liquid on the exhaust side,

and the liquid to be continuously 'ev'iporated into its vapor on the intake side, ioth of which functions are due to and are caused by properties existing in the atmosphere ghereby additional Y while heat is being given up by another portion of it though being at the time in the same state of temperature and humidity.

heat may be absorbed Such interchange'ofjlreat is utilized in the gas production of mechanical work through the working vapor acting upon the vanes of the turbine wheel after expanding in the nozzle 13 during its ,change from initial to final of using a liquefied gas as a workair or any other so called perfect be selected, a fixed weight of it Instead ing fluid, may

' being confined and caused to alternately absorb and reject heat from and to the hot and cold sides of an apparatus such as has been described, the variation of pressure created mechanical work it through the vehicle of water vapor imam 7 From the foregoing water and by the absorption of heat by the boiler 'by direct contact with the atmosphere. eration, it will continue in operation mdefinitely by usingthe working fluid over and over again so'long as water is supplied to the cup 6 and so long as the atmospheric temperature is above 32 degrees F. and the relative humidity of the atmosphere is below 100%.

When once the engine is set in op During periods bfhigh humidity or temperature below 32 degrees F., power maybe generated by supplying artificial heat to the boiler.- The energy represented by the latent heat of fusion of ice or snow may also be utilized by permittin these substances to abstract heat. from t e condenser while heat is being absorbed from the atmosphere by the boiler. Similarly, a difference in temperature between the atmosphere and a body of water such as a river, lake or ocean may be utilized for work" by the absorption and rejection of heat as described.

What I cfaim is:

1. A heat engine comprising an inclosed cycle of parts in which a working fluid is confined, said fluid being convertible from.

conduit ofv relatively small diameter connecting the lower ends of said condenser and boiler, a second connection between-the upper portions of saidcondenser and boiler and a work producing element situated withinsaid second connection, the pressure of the workingv fluid in said boiler being greater than that in the condenser whereby the level of the fluid in said boiler will be appreciably lower than that in the conduit, thus permitting a positive gravitational flow ofthe fluid from said condenser and mto I said boiler.

2. A heat engine comprising a working fluid which is convertible into a vapor at atmospheric temperatures, a boiler and a condenser in which the working fluid is con-v fined, said condenser being situatedon a plane substantially above said boiler, means 'for transferring the working fluid from said condenser to said boiler by gravitative flow, said means being of lesser diameter than said boiler and responsive to the variation in the respective pressures of the condenser nection and capable of utiliz" the work and boiler to maintain the liquid in said available by the subjection of t e working boiler on'a. lower plane than in said means, fluid to the different temperatures efiected 10 a connection between the said boiler and through the use of said boiler and concondenser for the flow of the worln'ng fluid denser. I I

in the vapor state, and a power developing In testimony whereof I afiix m si ature. element interposed in the last named con- PERR O Y. 

